Chapter 1 – The Proposal From Hell

Iris Pov

“Order in the court! Case dismissed! The state wins this case. Moretti, you’re to pay a $100,000 fine, and no bail will be granted.” The judge half yelled as he slammed the gavel.

Iris felt her cheeks from smiling too hard. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and looked around the courtroom, enjoying the shell-shocked face of her rival, Luke Parton, who was representing the Morettis. He was a cynical old man who thought that because she was a woman, she would never win this case.

“Are you okay?” She mouthed, beaming with pride. This case was the thirtieth case she’d won this year as a criminal attorney. Yet another mob company dismantled. And if the headlines tomorrow were correct, she’d officially be New York’s mob-busting attorney.

She stuffed her papers into her briefcase and muttered under her breath, “Famous for making the mafia sweat. Perfect life goal.” She personally held a grudge against the mafia that has been spreading around NewYork like a plague lately.

She hated the surge in the crime level, and the way the men she met in clubs and bars scared her with their tattoos and guns, and she hated the ugly mob fights that always followed, ruining her nights out. She’d been sex starved for four months, and that was also enough reason to want them gone.

She wanted to be able to walk into clubs and dance all night and end up with a rich gentleman, who’d crack her good. She wanted NewYork to be fun again.

As she stepped outside, Cameras flashed like fireworks, and she squinted, and reporters shoved mics in her face.

“Ms. Rossi! Ms. Rossi! How did you uncover the shell company so fast?”

“We hear this is your thirtieth case in a row. Any comments on that?”

She dodged a cameraman’s hand like a ninja, applauding herself as she shoved her hands into her coat pockets. “Careful research, attention to detail… and a lot of coffee,” she said, rolling her eyes at the young reporter whose jaw was practically on the floor as she tossed him her $2000 smile.

“Impressive,” the reporter continued. “I don’t think anyone’s ever taken down a Moretti company before.”

“Well,” Iris said with a shrug, “there’s a first time for everything.” She waved them off and finally exhaled when the horde moved on to Luke, who was coming out with his client. The convicted member of the Moretti Mafia.

Her heels clicked on the pavement as she pulled her coat tighter and hailed a cab, the chilly NewYork air biting into her cheeks.

*****

“I’ve been waiting for you, Iris.” A man’s voice called her attention as she approached her flat.

Iris blinked as she climbed up the stairs of her building in Soho to her loft apartment. Leaning casually against her apartment doorframe was a man she knew like the back of her palm. Not personally, or physically, but from her research on the Moretti Family.

“Dante Moretti.” She whispered breathlessly. His Mafia network was so strong that no one could get to him. He was basically a ghost, and here he was, staring down at her.

He nodded, then dragged his eyes up my body, slowly like he was trying to memorize it. “I’ve been waiting for you to get here. That Italian lilt made her name sound like a sin. “We need to talk, Ey-ris.”

He was dressed in a black suit, which was slightly rumpled with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She could see the tattoo that covered his hand. She drank him in,  appreciating his broad shoulders and his dark hair tousled just enough to look effortless and piercing green eyes that made her stomach jump.

Iris stopped mid-step, fingers clutching her keys. “What the hell…”

He straightened, the faintest smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He was so impossibly calm that it made her restless.

“You really thought I wouldn’t find you?” His voice was confident.

“I… find me? Who—” She looked away. “How did you… You know where I live?”

He shrugged, one shoulder lifting lazily. “I have my ways. Let’s just say I know things.”

Iris took a step back and pressed her back harder against the door. He had changed positions and was directly facing her and backing her to the wall. “Things? I can get you arrested.”

“I’m aware.” He stepped closer. “And I also know what your father’s been up to.”

Her stomach knotted tighter. “Stop. You don’t know anything about him. You’re making this up because I won your henchman in court today, aren’t you? Some… revenge fantasy?”

He tilted his head, dark eyes studying her. “You’re smart. You see, my family has a saying. When you stir a bee's nest to find honey, you should expect the bees to sting you.”

She crossed her arms, trying to appear confident even though her knees felt like jelly. “What are you going to do?”

Dante smiled at her, “I’m going to do you a favour.”

“If you hurt my father, I will make sure I take you to court myself.” She threatened to wave a finger in the air.

“Hurt your father?” He chuckled and shook his head, now so close to her that she could feel his hot breath against her face. “Why will I do that? He’s working for us, you know, and is a valuable part of the Moretti family."

“Get out. Leave or I swear I’ll call the police. You’re a liar.”

“I didn’t come here to argue. I came here to present you with a choice,” he said, leaning closer, letting the faint scent of his cologne drift toward her, “Marry me for one year and protect your career and your father, or refuse, and I will make sure everything you’ve built comes crashing down.”

“What’s in it for you? It can’t be just revenge.” She challenged me.

“Yes. You will be our new defense lawyer instead, and you will agree to the marriage because it gives my men a sense of comfort, knowing that I took care of you.”

She had an eerie feeling that taking care of you meant eliminating her. Iris laughed, “You’re insane. Let me get this straight, you want me to marry you because… You think I’m useful?”

He nodded and then brought out a small cassette. “Here’s the evidence that your father is part of us. If I release this to the press, what do you think people will say about you? Bias, pretentious, hypocritical. Taking everyone but her dear daddy to court.”

“Get. Out. Of. My. House.” She replied slowly, drawing the words out.

He threw the cassette at her feet and blew her a kiss, as he granted her request. “I’ll be back tomorrow with the papers.”

He was halfway down the stairs when Iris yelled back. “I’ll have guard dogs waiting.”